Paper box opening machine



W. P. STEIN PAPER BOX OPENING MACHINE Filed July i7, 1933 2 Sheeis-Sheecl mmm 1. seein;

Oct. 9, 1934. w P, STEIN PAPER BOX OPENING MACHINE Filed July 17. 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 "fill"m N NWN;

Patented Det. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES ferais@ .f AT E T Q C 28 Claims.

The invention relates to a paper box opening machine. The object of thepresent invention is to improve the construction of paper box openingmachines more especially that shown and described in Patent Number1,898,910, granted to me February 2l, 1933, and to increase thestrength, durability and emciency of the same and to provide a paper boxopening machine designed particularly for cutting off the top, bottom ora side wall of a l0 box or carton to open the same and adapted to enablethe top, bottom or wall of a carton to be easily, rapidly and neatlysevered from the body of the box or carton without the production ofsawdust and at the same time leave an unbroken marginal flange aroundthe severed portion of the box or carton to enable the severed portionto be inverted and replaced in the carton to form a closure for the samewhen the carton is relled thereby enabling the carton to be used anumber 2O of times and at the same time preserving the address on thesevered portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paper box openingmachine adapted to adjust itself automatically to different thicknessesof corrugated and other cardboard used in the manufacture of boxes andcartons and capable of maintaining the guard for the rotary cutter inclose proximity to the wall being cut and at the same time preventingthe front end of the guard from digging into the uncut portion of thewall and interfering with a rapid feeding and cutting operation of themachine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rotarycutter which will not heat excessively and which will operate to spreadthe walls of the kerf cut by it sufficiently to provide a freepassageway for the guard thereby avoiding the expense of bevelling theguard for spreading the kerf and eliminating any friction which mightimpede the cutting and feeding action of the machine. Y

Another object of the invention is to equip the paper box cuttingmachine with a feeding device adapted to assist in maintaining a uniformfeeding action of the machine and a rapid and effective operation of therotary cutter. Y

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion and minor details of construction,within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a paper box opener constructed inaccordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a reverse plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating the manner of cutting a carton,the wall being cut being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the 55 line 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 4illustrating the construction of the feeding mechanism.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View on 5'@ the line 6 6 of Figure4.

Figure 7 is a detail transverse sectional View on the line '7 7 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8 8 of Figure 2. 75

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the rotary cutter.

Figure i0 is an edge view of the cutter.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of the outer end of the motorshaft illustrating the eccentrically arranged portion thereof foroperating the feeding device.

ln the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention the paper box and carton opener comprises inits construction an electric motor l having a suitable handle 2 andprovided with a switch 3 for controlling the current to the motor. Whilethe switch 3 is preferably mounted on the handle of the motor it may ofcourse be located at any other convenient point. An oblong plate llwhich is preferably rounded at the corners as shown, constitutes withthe handle 2 a supporting frame for the motor and the cutting andfeeding mechanism of the paper box opener and relieves the motor andarmature shaft of any strain incident to the operation of the machine asthe said frame is rigidly connected with the motor casing and the strainis taken from the armature shaft and the motor owing to the rigidconnection between the supporting frame and the motor casing. The plate11 is provided with an opening 12 for the shaft 14 of the motor and thehandle 2 which is tubular is divided longitudinally into two sections 4and 5, connected together by transverse fastening devices 6, preferablyin the form of bolts, but any suitable means may, of course, be employedfor connecting sections of the handle together.

The tubular handle 2 is preferably substantially rectangular` in crosssection with rounded corners to afford a firm grip for the operator, andthe sectional tubular construction of the handle enables the handle tobe wired previous to assembling the handle on the machine. The section 4of the handle is provided at the inner end with extensions 'E andconforming to the configuration of the motor casing and detachablysecured to the sarne by screws or other suitable fastening devices 7a.The inner portion of the handle is tapered or flared as shown at 8, andthe section 5 is formed integral with and merges into the marginalfianges 1 1 of the pla-te 11. The side or longitudinal flanges 11 of theplate 1l are extended to forni attaching portions 9 which are fittedagainst and secured by screws or other suitable fastening means 9' tothe adjacent reduced end of the motor casing at opposite sides thereof.By this construction and arrangement the sections of the handle arerigidly secured to the motor casing.

The motor shaft 14, which has an extended outer portion, projectsoutwardly beyond the front plate and is provided with a terminaleccentric portion 15 (see Fig. 12) which operates a feeding device 16and which also has mounted on it a rotary cutter 17 arranged concentricwith the motor shaft and secured to the same by means of projections 18and a screw 19.

The screw 19 is threaded into a bore or opening 20 in the shaft 14 whichis provided at the outer end with the said projections 18. The rotarycutter is provided with a central opening 21 to receive the screw and ithas opposite notches 22 for the reception of the projections 18 wherebythe rotary cutter is interlocked with the end of the motor shaft.

The rotary cutter which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings ashexagonal may be of other polygonal shape and it consists of a centralcircular web 23 and a marginal polygonal cutting portion or edge 24oppositely bevelled, as clearly illustrated in Figure 11 of thedrawings, and composed of a plurality of similar angularly relatedstraight cutting edges 25. The cutting portion 24 is enlarged at theangles 26 formed by the adjacent straight cutting edges.

The enlarged corner portions of the cutting edges are of greaterthickness than the intermediate portions of the cutting edges which aredi'shed longitudinally between the thickened corner portions, as clearlyillustrated in Figure l0 of the drawings. This structure provides thethickened corner portions which are oppositely tapered or wedge-shapedin thickness due to the longitudinal dishing of the angularly relatedportions of the cutting edge which greatly facilitates the spreading ofthe walls of the kerf. These enlarged portions 26 are adapted in theoperation of the cutter to spread the side walls of the kerf cut by therotary cutter as the thickened corner portions intermittently strike orpound the walls of the kerf. This accomplishes the spreading of the kerfwithout any undue friction or retarding of the rotation of the cutter.rihe rotary cutter operates wit-h a drawing or shearing action and doesnot form any sawdust in the cutting operation, and the spreading of thewalls o-f the kerf provides a passageway for an inner guard 27, whichextends around the inner or lower portion of the cutter for protectingthe contents of the box or carton. The spreading of the walls of thekerf avoids the expense of bevelling the guard 27 to provide means forspreading and opening the kerf and by providing a free passageway forthe guard frictional contact between the guard and the walls of the kerfis eliminated, which friction might otherwise impede the cutting andfeeding action of the paper box opening machine. The web 23 of therotary cutter 17 is provided with an annular series of openings 23a toprevent excessive heating of the cutter.

The guard 27 extends downwardly through the kerf 28 in rear of therotary cutter and then forwardly beneath the rotary cutter, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to prevent the cutter from comingin contact with the contents of a box or carton 29. This guard alsoserves as a guard for thecutter when the machine is not in use to assistin preventing the hand of the operator from coming in contact with thecutter. The guard 2'7 tapers longitudinally as shown and it is providedwith an approximately L-shaped attaching arm 30 consisting of ahorizontal portion and a depending vertical portion 31 (see Figs. 3, 7and 8) which is secured to the front of plate l1 in a depression 32thereof by riveting, spot welding or other suitable fastening means. Thehorizontal portion of the attaching arm 30 spaces the guard from thefront plate and it also forms a support for one end of a substantiallysegmental housing 33 which forms a xed guard for the upper portion ofthe rotary cutter. which is approximately L.-shaped in cross section, asclearly illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, is provided at itsends with attaching flanges 34 and 35, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The

attaching flange 34 is arranged at an inclination and is suitablysecured to the front plate. The rear ange 35 is arranged horizontallyand secured by riveting or other suitable means to the horizontalportion of the arm 3Q of the guard 27.

The segmental housing 33 The paper box opener during the cuttingoperation is supported by means of a roller 4l and a resilient shoe 36consisting of a heavy leaf spring of slightly angular shape and arrangedat an inclination when not flexed, as clearly illustrated in Fig.' 2 ofthe drawings. of the resilient shoe is secured by rivets 57 cr otherlsuitable fastening means to the flange 34 of the segmental housing anda clamping plate 38 is fitted against the outer face of the attached endof the resilient shoe to distribute the pressure and strain and preventany liability of the `resilient shoe cracking at the points where it isattached to the flange 34. The resilient shoe extends downwardly andrearwardly from the flange 34 and is adapted to be flexed to theposition ili lustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings when the machine isplaced upon the box 29. This enables the machine to adjust itselfautomatically to 'different thicknesses of corrugated and othercardboard employed in the manufacture of boxes. y The resilient shoe isprovided with a longitudinal The upper end g',

erates to maintain the front portion of the guard 27 vin close proximityto the wall of the box being cut and at the same time prevents the frontend of the guard 27 from digging into the uncut portion of the wall ofthe box and interfering with the feed of the machine.

The roller 41 is mounted on a spindle 42 carried by a lever 43 andextending through an arcuate slot 44 in the front plate l1. The slotlocated adjacent the front end of the front plate r and it permits theroller to move upwardly from the lower end of the slot 44 to the upperend thereof. When the roller is located at the lower end of the slot 44,as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it forms a guard for therotary cutter and assists in preventing the hand of the operator fromcoming in contact with the cutter and being injured by the same. Theinner end of the roller spaced slightly from the front plate, asillustrated in l of the drawings, and the lever 43 which is fulcrumed ona suitable pivot 44a is offset the inner face of the front plate, asclearly illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawings, to provide a clearancefor permitting the scape of dust. The pivot 44aA preferably consists ofthe screw shown but any suitable form of pivot may of course be employedand ythe said lever, when the machine is not in use, extends downwardlyand forwardly from the pivot 44i it is provided adjacent the pivot withan enlargement 45 having an arcuate slot 46 through which passes themotor shaft 14. The lever is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 47arranged at an angle to the body portion of the lever, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 6 of the draws. A coiled spring 48 which extendsupwardfrom the arm 4'? has one end attached to the same its other endattached to the marinal flange 1i) of the front plate.

The coiled spring is adapted to urge the roller downwardly towards thelower end of the slot 44 and it is of a strength less than the strengthof the resilient shoe so that when the machine is placed upon a box theroller will be moved to the upper end of the slot 44 before any materialflexing of the resilient shoe occurs. The roller assists supporting themachine in proper position for cutting. As the spring of the roller islighter than the resilient shoe the roller will first move to itsoperative position at the upper end of the slot 44 when the machine isplaced in position for cutting. The free end of the spring shoe a`l-.inst the box in rear of the front end of the guard 27 and operatesto pull the guard to the inner face of the wall of the box, withoutcausing the front end of the guard which is rounded to dig into theuncut portion of the said wall of the box and interfere with the feed ofthe machine.

The feeding device 16 which assists in a uniform feeding of the machineduring the cutting consists of a substantially straight lever providedat its front end with a head 49 (see 5) having a circular openingreceiving ine" ' the eccentric portion 15 which is cylindrical andwhich, when the shaft is rotated, causes the front portion of thefeeding device to move downwardy into engagement with the box and thenrearwardly and then upwardly and forwardly. The front portion or head ofthe feeding device is provided with a pair of tapered teeth 50 which areoffset from each other both laterally and longitudinally of the feedingdevice.

rhese teeth 50 which partially pierce the wall of the box, asillustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, enable the feeding device toobtain a rm grip on the box to insure a uniform feed of the machineduring the cutting operation. The rear portion of the feeding device 16is provided with a longitudinal slot 51 through which passes atransverse pin 52 which forms a fulcrum for the feeding device. rhe pinand slot connection provide for the necessary swinging movement and thelongitudinal movement incident to the operation of the eccentric portion15 of the motor shaft. The fixed pin 52 extends across the space betweenthe guard 27 and the front plate and is supported by the guard and thesaid plate.

The machine is operated substantially as explained in the said patent.In starting to cut a carton, the device is placed against one corner ofthe carton and is pressed inwardly or rearwardly until the cutterstrikes a corner and cuts `a slot therein of sucient size to permit theinteriorly arranged guard to be introduced into the carton through thecut slot. The device is then pressed inwardly against the carton untilthe roller reaches the limit of its outward movement. This initialcutting is done with a slight backward movement of the device and aninitial cut is made of sufiicient site to enable the guard 2'7 to bereadily introduced into the carton. Owing to the blunt character of thefront end of the guard it is necessary to make this initial cut in orderto place the machine in position for cutting.

The device is then drawn forwardly toward the operator until the top,bottom or one of the side walls is completely severed from the body ofthe carton, the machine passing around the carton in the cuttingoperation. The handle 2 extends forwardly from the motor and in theoperation of the machine, it is pulled forwardly by the operator,instead of being pushed forwardly like the machine of the said patent.The handle 2 is grasped in the right hand and the cutting and feedingmechanism is located at the inner or left hand side of the machine, andgreater ease and accuracy in the operation of the machine are afforded by the arrangement of the handle at the front and the pulling or drawingaction in opening a box or carton. Also if desired a cut may be made inthe side wall of the carton preferably in a corner to allow forexpansion of the carton to receive a severed top. When the top issevered from the body of the carton it will be provided with acontinuous flange and may be inverted and placed within the body of thecarton to form a closure for the same. The original address will then belocated interiorly of the box or carton and may be left intact eitherfor the purpose of identication or to avoid the necessity of removingthe address to provide a blank space for a new address. The bottom, topor any one of the side walls may of course be out from the body of thecarton to form a closure for the same. Also in cutting the top wall orother wall, instead of entirely severing the same three slde walls onlymay be cut thereby leaving the top connected with the remaining sidewall to form a hinge connection for the top and to prevent the same frombeing lost from the body of the carton.

What is claimed isz- 1. A portable paper box opening machin-e includinga vertically disposed rotary cutter having a periphery of polygonal formcomposed of oppositely bevelled angularly related cutting edges andhaving thickened portions at the angles formed by the cutting edgeswhereby the cutter is adapted to operate with a shearing draw cut and iscaused to spread the walls of the kerf made by the cut.

A portable paper box opening machine including a vertically disposedrotary cutter having a continuous cutting periphery of polygonal formcomposed of similar straight angularly related cutting edges oppositelybevelled and having thickened portions at the angles formed by thestraight cutting edges, whereby the cutter is adapted to operate with adraw cut and is caused nected with the feeding device for actuating thesame.

le. A box opener oi the class described including a rotary cutter and afeeding device consisting of a lever fulcrurned at one end andlongitudinally movable on the fulcrum, and an eccentric connected withthe feeding device for actuating the same, said feeding device beingprovided with teeth arranged to engage a box being cut.

A box opener of the class described includa shaft having an eccentric, arotary cutter mounted on the shaft, and a feeding device connected atone end with the eccentric and provided at its other end with alongitudinal slot and a pivot extending through the slot and forming afulcrurn for the feeding device.

16. A box opener of the class described including a motor having ashaft, a rotary cutter mounted on the shaft, a frame provided with afront plate receiving the shaft and provided in advance of the sainewith an opening, a lever fulcrumed on the inner face of the front plateand provided with a slot for the said shaft and having a spindle locatedin advance of the shaft and extending through the opening of the frontplate, said lever being also provided with a rear arm, and a rollermounted on the spindle and a spring connected with the rear arm of thelever for maintaining the roller normally at one end of the saidopening.

i7. A portable paper box opening machine including a handle and a rotarycutter having a continuous cutting periphery of polygonal form composedof sti1 ight angularly related cutting edges oppositely bevelled, saidcutting edges being dished between the corner portions and the latterbeing of greater thickness than the intermediate portions of the cut ingedges said machine being adapted to be drawn toward the user foroperation to open the box.

i8. A box opener of the class described includa motor, a framecomprising a flanged front l te and a tubular handle dividedlongitudinally 'nto two sections, one of the sections being conv.ectedto the said plate and carrying the same, the other handle section havingforward extensions conforming to the shape of the motor casing andsecured thereto means for securing the sections oi the handle togetherand means for securing the flanges of the frame to the casing oi themotor.

19. A box opener of the class described including a motor, a framecomprising a front plate and a tubular handle divided longitudinallyinto two sections, one of the sections being formed integral with thefront plate and carrying the same, said frame being provided at eachhandle section with attaching portions which embrace the motor casingand which embracing portions are rigidly secured to the casing of themotor.

2c. A box opener of the class described including a motor and a framecomprising a front plate provided with marginal iianges and a tubularhandle divided longitudinally into two sections, one of the sectionsbeing formed integral with the front plate and merging into the iiangesthereof, the latter being provided with extensions located at oppositesides of the casing of the motor and rigidly secured to the same, andthe other handle section being provided with spaced attaching portionssecured to the motor casing at opposite sides thereof.

2l. A paper box opening machine including a rotary cutter, a guardarranged to proj ect through the kerf made by the cutter to protect thecontents of a box from the eiective portion of the cutter, a resilientshoe arranged to bear against the exterior of box being out andcooperating with the guard to maintain the same in proper position withrelation to the wall being cut, a feeding device operable on themachine, and an eccentric connected with the feeding device foractuating the same.

22. A paper box opening ina-chi; e including a rotary cutter, a guardarranged to project through the kerf made by the cutter uo protect thecontents of a box from the effective portion of the cutter, a resilientshoe arranged to bear against the exterior of the box. being cut andcooperating with the guard to maintain the same in proper position withrelation to the wall being out, a feeding device opere le on the machineand consisting of a lever fulcrumed at one end and longitudinallymovable on the fulcrum, and an eccentric connected with the feedingdevice for actuating the saine.

23. A paper box opening machine including a rotary cutter', a guard arito project through the lreri made by the cutter to pr tect the contentsoi a box from the erfec ive portion of the cutter, a res f^t shoearranged to bear against the exterior the box being cut and cooperatingwith the guard to maintain t1 e sanie in proper position with relationto the wall being out, a feeding device operable on the machine andconsisting of a lever fulcrurned at one end and longitudinally movableon the iulcrurn, and an eccentric connected with the feeding device foractuating the saine, said device being provided with teeth arranged toengag box being out.

2d. A box opener oi t lass described including a rotary cutter, a memberoperating in ad- Vance of the rotary cutter o movable upwardly anddownwardly, sn* g connected with said member for non ol aintaining thesame at the limit of its downward movement for holding said member in aposition to form a guard for the cutter, a resilient shoe at one end ata point in advance of the c tter and above the axis of the latterand-extending downwardly in advance oi the cutter and rearwardly to apoint in the rear of the cutter and having its rear end free to bearagainst the exterior oi a box, and a fixed guard arranged to projectthrough the korf made by the cutter extending beneath the cutter toguard the contents of the box and maintained in proper position withrelation to the box by the shoe.

25. A box opener of the class described including a rotary cutter, aguard arranged to project through the kerf made by the cutter to protectthe contents of a box from the effective portion of the cutter, a memberoperating in advance of the rotary cutter and movable upwardly anddownwardly, spring means connected with said inember for normallymaintaining the latter at the limit of its dowward movement for holdingthe said member in a position to form a guard for the cutter, aresilient shoe arranged to bear against the exterior of the box beingcut and cooperating with the guard to maintain the saine in properposition with relation to the wall being cut, the strength of the springmeans of the said member being less than the strength of the resilientshoe for causing said member to move to the limit of its upward movementbefore the shoe is materially flexed, a feeding device operable on themachine, and an eccentric connected with the feeding device foractuating the same.

26. A paper box opening machine including a cutter, a guard arranged toproject through the kerf made by the cutter and extending forward from apoint in the rear of the cutter to protect the contents of a box fromthe effective portion of the cutter, a resilient shoe secured at one endin front of the cutter and arranged to bear against the exterior or' abox being cut and when bearing against a box being out cooperating withthe guard for maintaining the guard in proper position with relation tothe box wall being cut, said shoe being thereby automatically adjustableto adapt the machine to box walls of diierent thicknesses, a membermovably mounted in advance of the cutter, and means for normallymaintaining said movable member in a position to form a guard for thecutter.

27A A paper box opening machine including a cutter, a guard arranged toproject through the kerf made by the cutter and extending forward from apoint in the rear of the cutter to protect the contents of a box fromthe effective portion of the cutter, a resilient shoe secured at one endin front o the cutter and arranged to bear against the exterior of a boxbeing cut and when bearing against a box being cut cooperating with theguard for maintaining the guard in proper position with relation to thebox wall being cut,

said shoe being thereby automatically adjustable to adapt the machine tobox walls of different thicknesses, a member movably mounted in advancelof the cutter, means for normally maintaining said movable member in aposition to form a guard for the cutter, a feeding device operable onthe machine, and means for actuating the feeding device.

28. A box opener of the class described including a rotary cutter, amovable member operating in advance of the rotary cutter and providing aguard at the front of the cutter, a fixed guard arranged to projectthrough the kerf made by the rotary cutter to guard the contents of thebox, and a shoe extending downwardly between the movable guard memberand the rotary cutter and rearwardly under the axis of the latter, saidrotary cutter having portions to successively engage the side walls ofthe kerf to spread the said walls apart and maintain them apart toprovide a free passageway for said xed guard as it travels in said kerfso as to eliminate friction between the kerf walls and the cutter andfixed guard such as would tend to impede the cutting operation.

WILLIAM P. STEIN.

